1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of baby carriers. More specifically, the present invention relates to soft, sling-type baby carriers designed to be worn across the user's front upper body.
2. The Prior Art
Caring for babies has always limited the mobility of the mother or other care-giver because the baby must be carried from place to place. Throughout history, efforts have been made to increase the mobility of mothers and reduce their fatigue by fashioning some kind of baby carrier. These efforts have produced devices ranging from the flat boards with leather ties of some American Indians to elaborate baby carriages complete with suspension springs and brakes. The flat boards used to carry papooses were uncomfortable and led to minimal contact with mother. Baby carriages are bulky, heavy, expensive, and eliminate most contact with the baby.
Much of the prior art attempts to provide a baby carrier that overcomes these difficulties. Some prior art has been directed toward simple, soft fabric baby carriers designed to be worn on user's chest or back, thereby providing adequate contact between the child and the user while easing the user's fatigue and leaving the user's hands free.
One of the first such devices to be developed is an improvised sling formed by tying the ends of a length of cloth together. This type of sling is still commonly used in Africa. In use, the sling is retied everyday by bending forward sharply at the waist and typing a knot behind the back. The gathers that result from typing the ends of a relatively wide piece of cloth into a knot are bulky and uncomfortable. In addition, retying the sling everyday is a time consuming nuisance.
Another prior art device consists of a sling which is wider in the middle than at its ends and is adjusted by means of two wooden rings that the ends are passed through. This sling is designed to be worn diagonally across the user's chest with the narrower portion across one of the user's shoulders and back. Such devices do not conform well to the baby's size and shape, having the tendency to gather under the baby's body. This difficulty can leave the baby in danger of falling from the sling, requiring the user to keep generally at least one hand on the baby.
Another sling-like device for carrying a baby has a triangular-shaped seat. The narrow end of the seat is positioned in the child's crotch and the wide portion on his hips. A strap attached to both corners of the wide portion of the seat is worn over one of the user's shoulders. A second strap is attached to the crotch portion of the seat and strapped around the user's waist. Such a baby carrier is difficult to put on, requiring a strap or chair. It distributes weight primarily on the user's shoulders, increasing fatigue. It can only be safely used with babies who can sit up, so it cannot be used with young infants or sleeping babies. The seat of the sling is not comfortable for baby because all the baby's weight is distributed across a small, tightly stretched piece of cloth, and the baby's legs are forced wide apart, a potentially unhealthy position. Finally, the back of the seat does not rise very high, even on a very yong baby, so a baby could fall out of it and the user must keep a hand on the baby at all times.
Another prior art device substantially reduces the risk that a baby might fall out of it, but the solution it reaches creates other difficulties. This device, which is sold under the name Snugli and is one of the most popular baby carriers, is essentially a back-pack designed to be worn on the chest or back. A strap is sewn onto each end of the top of the baby carrier. The opposite end of each strap is sewn onto the respective side of the baby carrier at a location intermediate the top and bottom of the baby carrier. In use, these two straps rest on the user's shoulders, circle under the arms, and lie along the user's rib cage. A third strap, along the bottom of the baby carrier, is designed to be worn around the user's waist. The length of all three straps is adjustable. The front of the baby carrier opens and closes length-wise down the middle. The inside of the baby carrier includes a pouch, which cradles the baby in a semi-sitting position. Zippers control these openings. The pouch hs a hole for each leg, so that the baby settles to the bottom of the pouch. The pouch can be moved downwardly by using a lower row of fasteners, such as snap fasteners, to accommodate a larger baby. The baby is secured in the baby carrier by placing his legs through the holes in the pouch, zipping up the pouch and then zipping up the outer cover. Next, the user puts on the shoulder straps and then fastens the waist strap. Finally, baby and user are ready to go. The baby is now facing the user's chest.
The baby carrier frees the user's hands, provides contact between user and baby, and transfers the baby's weight from the user's arm to her back. This device, however, has many difficulties, which include:
1. The baby carrier is difficult and expensive to manufacture, having numerous parts, seams, stitches and fasteners;
2. The shoulder straps are prone to slip or fall off the shoulders, a potentially dangerous shortcoming;
3. Riding in the baby carrier seems not to be comfortable for the baby, which is understandable since nearly all of his weight is distributed across the two straps, each about three inches wide, that are stretched tightly across his bottom and his legs must be widely spread apart sideways to fit into the pouch. These difficulties become more troublesome as the baby grows;
4. The baby cannot see much of any interest because his face is pressed against the user's chest;
5. Putting a baby in this baby carrier and putting it on is awkward and time consuming;
6. Wearing this baby carrier is awkward and places considerable and quite noticeable strain on the user's lower back.
Therefore, a significant need exists for a baby carrier that is safe, simple, easy to manufacture and to use, and that adjusts to different sized babies in different positions, and allows the baby substantial freedom of movement.